KAPALUA, Hawaii — Geoff Ogilvy was in the valley of the 17th hole at Kapalua, a 561-yard hole that drops 100 feet from the tee. That’s why he hit a tee shot 415 yards. And that’s why he couldn’t predict what was going to happen next.
With only a wedge left to the green, Ogilvy knew something was wrong when his shot climbed high and was held up in the wind that only moments earlier had been at his back. It came up 85 feet short, leading to his only bogey of the Mercedes-Benz Championship.
Then came a three-putt par on the 18th, and his four-shot lead at the turn was down to one over D.J. Trahan.
“The wind changed sometime between the tee shot on the 17th and the second shot on the 17th, and we couldn’t really feel it where we were standing,” Ogilvy said after a 5-under 68 on Friday. “I’m pretty annoyed at the way I finished, but I’m happy with where I am and how I’m playing.”
Despite the rough finish, Ogilvy was at 11-under 135 and will be in the final group Saturday with Trahan, who made a 40-foot eagle putt on the 15th hole on his way to a 66 to finish one shot behind.
Ernie Els missed two putts inside 3 feet and dumped a pitch shot into the bunker for a bogey on the 14th, but did enough things right for a 69 that put him two shots behind in his first trip to Kapalua in four years.
“If I made some putts, I could have had a low one, and I knew today was the day to get a low one,” Els said of the warm sunshine and mild breeze. “I’m there, but I feel like I could be a lot better. But it’s fine. It’s the first week of the year, and I guess I’ve just got to be patient.”
Davis Love III birdied the last two holes for a 70 and was among five players at 7-under 139. Another stroke back was Boo Weekley, who might have been a little closer except for a four-putt double bogey from 12 feet on the final hole.
“I pulled the first one, pulled the next one, then I done blew my top,” said Weekley, who had to settle for a 70.
Ogilvy was frustrated, too, and a little perplexed by a sudden shift in the wind off the west coast of Maui that could make playing the Plantation course even trickier on the weekend.
In his two previous trips to Kapalua, Ogilvy has never experienced the wind direction he felt late in the round, which is in the forecast for the weekend.
“I’m sure it will be a bit awkward,” Ogilvy said. “If it goes the other way, you have to really think.”
The 33-man field found conditions about as perfect as can be, for golf and the spectacular scenery. From the high points of the Plantation course, humpback whales were breeching and flipping their tails in the Pacific below, which is not unusual. On the golf course, the flags barely made a ripple, which is rare.
“If there’s ever a day to be disappointed with 6 under, this was it,” Stewart Cink said after his 67.
Camilo Villegas finished his round of 67 and asked his caddie for a felt pen. “I’m in a better mood to sign today,” he said, walking over to a group of fans wanting his autographs.
Despite the relative calm, there’s still the matter of maneuvering around the mountain course, taking the right angles to hit slopes that lead to some 400-yard drives that already have been recorded. And of course, the greens aren’t easy to master in any condition.
Weekley found that out on his closing hole.
He had a 12-foot birdie putt to get to 9 under when it missed badly on the low side. His 30-inch par putt caught the lip, and as Weekley scooted around the hole to tap that one in, he missed again. Four putts from 12 feet gave him a double bogey and spoiled an otherwise decent ground, giving him a second straight 70 for 6-under 140.
“The whole back side, I was playing either too much break or not enough break, and it started wearing on me,” Weekley said.
Adam Scott knows the feeling, even though he didn’t four-putt. He figured a 67 was about as well as he played, but laments not making more chances. Of greater concern was staying within range of his fellow Aussie and good friend, Ogilvy, who was 11 under and on the back nine when Scott finished his round. Scott was asked if he could catch Ogilvy.
“No,” Scott said, laughing. “Not if he keeps playing like this.”
Ogilvy was headed that direction until a few blips that finally caught up to him, and brought him back to the rest of the field.
Divots: Weekley was being interviewed by Golf Channel when he was
asked to analyze Els’ swing on the 18th hole. “That right there was hammered,” Weekley said. … Love continued to struggle with the 13th hole. He had to take a penalty shot out of the deep grass right of the fairway on Thursday, leading to bogey, and he pulled it left into the native grass on Friday and made a double bogey. … Cink and Trevor Immelman, both representing Nike, wore the same shirt Friday.
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